The Flame Inside
by babybeluga2003
Summary: Lichen and Jemmy are on an island hiding out from the rare hunters when Yugi and the gang show up. They live on the island with Lichen for awhile, and then bad stuff starts to happen, and Lichen has to get Yugi and Mokuba to the hospital, but Marik has st


THE FLAME INSIDE  
  
I popped the last cherry into my mouth and spit the pit into the fire, then sat back on my small log. "Time for bed, JemJem."  
Jemmy frowned. "I'm hungry."  
"You had your chance," I reminded him. "You wouldn't eat your cherries."  
"But I don't like cherries," he complained. "Aren't there any eggs or toads around here?"  
"Plenty of toads, Jemmy," I said, listening to them croak in the dark forest behind us. The fire cast a strange light, making spooky shadows that danced about the trees surrounding the small beach. "Insects, too," I added, judging by the number of toads.  
Jemmy cocked his head. "Eggs?"  
"I dunno," I replied. "But if you want any eggs, go find them yourself. I want to go to sleep, okay?"  
Jemmy pouted, but scampered off into the woods. He knew very well that I was not going to "magic up" an egg, as he called it. That was when I "magically" pulled an egg out of my backpack. Jemmy loved that.  
My eyelids becoming heavy, I slowly unrolled my sleeping bag. I decided not to put out the fire, since it was a cold night. Jemmy would put it out when he returned.  
I got into the sleeping bag. The covers felt full of warm goodness. I could not wait to go to sleep.  
But the moment I closed my eyes, Jemmy's voice rang out through the woods. "Lichen!" he cried. "Wake up!"  
Instinctively, I sat up. "Jemmy!" I called back in worry. "What is it?"  
"People!" he yelled.  
My hand flew to my Millennium Feathers. People on this island? Could it be rare hunters? If they were, Jemmy had already given us away. They knew me as Saguaro, instead of Lichen-Flame, but how many people do you see running around with a velociraptor? I thought so.  
Since we had already been potentially given away, I shouted, "Are they rare hunters?"  
"I don't know!" cried Jemmy. He burst out of the trees. "But there are six of them!"  
That meant nothing to me, and I couldn't run or hide, or move for that matter, out of fright. What were the rare hunters going to do to us now?  
Six people flew out of the trees on Jemmy's trail. "What's going on?" asked a short blonde teenage boy.  
They raced over to my sleeping bag. "Are you alright?" asked a younger girl with long brown hair.  
I looked up at them and nodded. They didn't look like rare hunters, but I wasn't taking any chances.  
A tall brunette girl stared at me. "Do my eyes deceive me," she asked, pointing to Jemmy, "Or is that a dinosaur?"  
"Yeah," I replied. "He's Jemmy."  
"Actually," said Jemmy, puffing out his chest and strutting over to a tall blonde girl that looked slightly older than the rest of them, "My name is Jeremy!"  
The blonde turned up her nose. "I don't care," she said airily.  
"Whatta ya doin' with a dinosaur, anyway?"" asked a tall blonde boy with his arm around the girl, who was obviously her boyfriend.  
Jemmy toppled over out of disappointment. A tall boy with brown hair picked him up. "Want an egg, little guy?"  
Jemmy, who usually hated baby talk, nodded happily. The boy crooned to him in strange tones as he fed Jemmy an egg.  
"Don't pay any attention to Tristan," said the short one, laughing. He held out his hand. "He is kind of weird sometimes. Anyway, I'm Yugi Moto."  
I shook hands with him and his felt strong and sturdy. These people seemed safe. I decided to tell them my name, since they seemed unfamiliar with Jemmy, and if they were new rare hunters, they would be told to look for Saguaro. "I'm Lichen-Flame Hipatomi. Just call me Lichen."  
"Lichen?" asked the older girl, sounding doubtful, almost disgusted. "Isn't that a plant parasite?"  
"Mai Valentine!" exclaimed the tall blonde boy. "She can't help it!" He turned to me. "Joey Wheeler at ya service!" He smiled.  
Mai slapped  
him. "Snap out of  
it, you flirt!" she  
said, giggling.  
"My name is Serenity," said the younger girl quietly. "And this is Tea." Serenity motioned to the tall brunette girl.  
"And I'm Bakura!"  
They turned to face another teenage boy, but this one with long, shaggy silver-white hair.  
"Bakura!" Tea exclaimed happily. She raced over to hug him.  
When they pulled away, Bakura looked at me. "Who is this?"  
"I am Lichen," I replied.  
"Hello," said Bakura. "Are you a friend of Yugi's, or Serenity's, perhaps?"  
"We just met," I explained. "I was just camping out with my friend Jemmy."  
I looked over at Jemmy, who was playing Simon Says with Tristan and his eggs.  
Bakura looked confused. "Is that a velociraptor?"  
I nodded. "I know, kind of strange," I said. "But he is my best friend. I rescued him from a laboratory when he was just an egg."  
He nodded. "I see."  
"Hey!" exclaimed Yugi. "What is that on your head?" I noticed he was referring to the Millennium Feathers.  
"My, uh, headband," I said nervously, taking it off.  
"Oh," said Yugi, sounding disappointed, touching his necklace. "I thought......." he trailed off.  
"He thought it was a Millennium Item," finished Joey. "Bakura has one, too."  
Well.............  
"Okay," I confessed. "It is a Millennium Item. What do yours do?"  
"Mine has a spirit inside," said Yugi. "Sometimes he guides me. His name is Yami, and he is an ancient pharaoh."  
"I chased the evil spirit out of mine," said Bakura briskly. "Twice. Now it is just a decoration."  
"You can use it as a weapon!" said Joey, laughing. "What about those little spiky thingies that are, uh, spiky?"  
"They are used to find other Millennium Items, you bean head," said Mai, smiling.  
That is when I noticed that Bakura's little spiky thingies were pointing to my Millennium Feathers shakily.  
"I think we should stick with you," commented Yugi. "We didn't meet each other on chance. The Millennium Items must have caused the ruckus."  
I didn't know. They seemed like nice people, but I wasn't sure of them yet.  
But Jemmy sure was. And so was my Millennium Feathers. I guess I would just have to trust in the Millennium Items.  
"Do you practice Duel Monsters?" asked Tristan, breathing hard, with Jemmy on his shoulder.  
Shocked, I turned on him. "How did you know?"  
"Uhhh, I saw your deck in your backpack."  
"Why did you look in my backpack?" I asked angrily, losing trust.  
"I didn't knock it over and spill everything out, honest," said Jemmy, smiling sweetly.  
I looked over at where my backpack was. "Oh no, Jemmy!" I cried. "Bedtime."  
"Is it alright if we set up camp here, too?" asked Mai.  
"I guess," I replied, slightly uneasily. "My only rule is no knocking over Lichen's backpack and spilling the contents dangerously close to the fire!" I looked at Jemmy, who was pretending to be asleep on Tristan's half- unrolled sleeping bag.  
"Speaking of fire," Bakura noted. "It would be a good idea to put it out."  
"Good idea," I agreed.  
Tea went down to the edge of the water to fetch some, and splashed it over the fire, extinguishing it.  
"Hey!" Mai snapped. "You got me wet!"  
"It is your own fault," Tea clucked. "You were much too close."  
Grumbling, Mai unrolled her sleeping bag. But upon my further inspection, it was not a sleeping bag, but an inflatable mattress.  
Mai noticed me staring. "I can't sleep on the ground," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  
Along with everyone else, I crawled into my sleeping bag. But I found that for some reason, I was no longer tired. Probably because of all of the excitement.  
I laid with my eyes open for a long time. These were the kind of moments I cherished. Just being able to look up at the stars, with the city lights far away, but close enough so you could still see the brightest ones along the horizon. And the quiet. Not too quiet, with the frogs and crickets, but quiet enough to be soothing.  
"I love the stars," said a voice beside me.  
I looked, and noticed that Yugi had settled next to me.  
"Me, too," I agreed solemnly. I pointed to a group of them. "See that? That is the Jemmy!"  
Yugi laughed quietly. "Yes, when you turn your head, it does kind of look like Jemmy."  
"And here is one that I didn't make up," I said, pointing out another group. "This isn't a constellation, it is the Pleiades."  
"Here is one of my favorites," Yugi commented, motioning to the left sky. "It is Cygnus, the swan. Legend has it that Cygnus used to be a lantern-holder. But he became tired of only being able to light only one person's way at a time, so one night he flew so high, as so everyone could see him, he entered into space, and was transformed into a beautiful group of stars that would light the way for everyone! His dream came true!"  
I sighed. "Do you believe that story?"  
"I don't know," Yugi said. "But I like it."  
"I like it, too."  
"I know another story about the stars."  
"Okay, what is this one about?"  
"Orion."  
"Oh, I know that one!"  
"Would you like to tell it?"  
So I told a story full of starlight until my eyes closed and I fell asleep, with dreams full of twinkling stars.  
  
"Good morning, all!"  
I awoke to an unfamiliar voice shouting us all up.  
"Oh, Mokuba, go back to sleep!" cried Serenity.  
"Mokuba?" I asked, confused. There was nobody named Mokuba in the group last night.  
"Yeah. Bakura told me about you before he left," said Mokuba, who was about ten, with black hair.  
"Aw, darn," said Tea in disappointment. "Bakura didn't even tell us he was going anywhere. Goodness."  
"I'm cold."  
I looked over at Jemmy, who was snuggled up to a shivering Tristan. "Light the fire!" he requested, sounding slightly like Mai.  
"I'll do it," said Mokuba. "Since I am already up."  
"Be careful, Mokuba," Tea warned.  
Too late. "Ouch!"  
Mai sighed in exasperation. "Put it in the water. I'll light the fire, okay?"  
She turned to me. "You can't trust a ten-year-old to do anything on his own."  
I frowned. Jemmy could do it, and he was two. Then again, he was a velociraptor.  
Yugi rolled over in his sleeping bag. "I heard Tristan saying something about Duel Monsters," he said.  
"Yeah," I replied. "It was close, you know, in Battle City, but someone beat me. His name was Seto Kaiba."  
Yugi looked slightly amused. "Seto is Mokuba's brother."  
"Really?" This was pretty cool. " I guess it is a small world, if you think about it."  
"I think I may have seen you in Battle City," said Yugi. "But I never saw Jemmy."  
I nodded. "They wouldn't let Jemmy on board. They didn't trust him. They didn't trust me either, with my Millennium Item."  
Yugi nodded, as if he understood. "I never knew the Millennium Feathers existed."  
"What are we going to do for breakfast?" asked Tristan, lifting Jemmy off his lap.  
"Why don't we go fishing?" I suggested.  
Mai snorted. "I am not going to eat fish. Can't we go to some gourmet restaurant or something?"  
"There are no gourmet restaurants around here," Joey told her. "But there is some candy."  
Mai straightened up. "Candy?"  
Joey nodded. "Eye candy." He leaned in to kiss Mai.  
How could anyone like Mai, really? She was kind of a snob, or a spoiled brat. I bet she had grown up in a rich family. I grew up under a bridge with a bunch of other orphans.  
"Mai is really nice, if you take the time to see behind her mask."  
I turned and saw that the speaker was Yugi. It was like he was reading my mind. Maybe he was.  
I cocked my head in misunderstanding.  
"Mai is not really as sassy as she seems," he continued. "But once you know her, you get used to it. She just doesn't know any other way to express herself. But she is very warm and caring if you just talk to her."  
I understood. Jemmy could be like that sometimes, too.  
"Fish it is," declared Joey. "Now, who wants to fish?"  
Nobody volunteered.  
"Well, don't everybody go off at once," mumbled Joey good-naturedly. He took a fishing pole- that I was sure wasn't there before-that was leaning on a rock and went down to the water.  
"Ahem!" Jemmy cleared his throat. "Fire, please! I am cold-blooded, you know."  
I had forgotten about that. Mai hadn't done it. I turned to Mokuba. "Please light the fire."  
Mai stared at me. "Why?" she asked. "He is just going to burn himself."  
"He'll learn from his mistakes," I promised. Unlike a story my friend Mattimeo used to tell me, about a young boy in a starship who kept pressing the wrong button, even though he had done harm to himself numerous times by doing that. I hoped I was right about Mokuba, and he wouldn't be like the boy in the story.  
I would have to tell that story to Yugi sometime.  
I was right. With Serenity's careful guidance, Mokuba lit the fire.  
Jemmy immediately hopped over to it. "Ooh, boy!" he said happily. "Warmth!" Jemmy beckoned to Tristan. "Come on over, it feels great."  
I took a spot next to Yugi, as far away from the blowing smoke as possible, which was getting into Mai's face.  
Mai screamed. "Oh, oh!" she covered her head. "It is going to ruin my hair."  
"Just move, Mai!" said Tristan. "Goodness."  
So Mai went down by the water and took a seat next to Joey and Mokuba, who had joined them with a smaller fishing pole.  
"How old are you?" asked Yugi.  
"Thirteen," I answered.  
"I am fourteen," he replied, answering his own question.  
"I'm twelve," said Serenity. "Thirteen next week!"  
"I am fifteen!" said Tea, smiling. "I can drive!"  
"I am fifteen, also," said Tristan.  
"I am Jemmy!" shouted Jemmy, making the party down at the lakeside jump. "I'm three."  
Yugi laughed. "I like your little friend," he said, smiling. "However did you get ahold of a dinosaur?"  
"It's a long story!" I exclaimed. "Can I tell it?"  
"Sure!" said Yugi, leaning back on a log. "I like stories, a lot."  
I smiled. "Can I tell the one my old friends and I used to like to tell?"  
"Of course!" he replied happily. "Why don't you all join in, too?" he asked, looking at Tea, Serenity, Tristan, and Jemmy.  
"This is the story of how I met-and saved- Jemmy," I began.  
Jemmy pumped his fists. "I love this story."  
"It started three years ago when I was on the street with my friends, playing Hide-and-Seek, when I ran into a man carrying a strange egg," I said. Everyone's eyes were on me, and I felt warm. I loved being the center of attention. "We ran up to him, and I was the only one with enough courage to ask him what it was.  
"He said it was a dinosaur egg that they were able to recreate with careful DNA placement experiments, and this one was a runt, so after a few tests on the outcome, which is the hatched egg," I added, noticing Serenity's confused look. "They were going to dispose of the baby dinosaur.  
"Now, I didn't want them to do any kind of experiments on the baby, so I followed that man closely. I waited until he set the egg down to buy some oranges from a street vendor, then I saw my chance. I took the egg and ran. And I didn't look back.  
"I saw the man mere days after the egg had hatched. He had some people with black glasses and trench coats-"  
"Men with trench coats look so fake," Tea interrupted. "Like they are pretending to be FBI agents, but they are actually some kind of illegal venders or something..."  
"Same here," I agreed. "Anyway, I guessed they were looking for the egg, and were questioning many people. I made sure to stay far out of their way. But one day, Jemmy was feeling playful, and this was before he knew any better-"  
"Aww, Lichen, did you have to tell that part?" Jemmy asked, frowning. He turned to Tristan. "She can be very embarrassing sometimes."  
Tristan smiled. "Moms can be that way sometimes."  
"Lichen is not my mom!" Jemmy said indignantly. "She is my pet human."  
"Guys!" declared Yugi. "Let her tell the story!"  
"Anyway, the man saw him. We never could stop running after that, until I took up dueling a year later. I dueled him, and bet Jemmy, which was the most painful thing I had to ever do. But I won the duel, and got to keep Jemmy. And now, here we are, and we couldn't be happier."  
"That is a great story!" Yugi smiled. "I don't think I could have wagered my best friend."  
I blushed. "I had no choice. It was either keep running and get caught eventually and lose Jemmy or have a chance to keep him."  
Jemmy growled. "I have another version of the story."  
Yugi put his arm around me, which surprised me. "Okay then, tell it, Jemmy."  
"Well," began Jemmy. "Lichen went out into the street. And I dueled Pandor. I wagered myself. I knew it would be a tough decision to leave my beloved pet human behind for a life in the laboratory, but it was my only chance. I beat him. Lichen helped a little."  
"You are good at telling tall tales, Jemmy!" I said, giggling a little.  
"I know that," replied Jemmy. "I am good at everything!"  
"Well," challenged Serenity. "Can you run fast?"  
"Run fast?" Jemmy's eyes widened in interest. "You bet I can run fast! I was built for speed."  
"I hope this story is true," said Serenity, getting up. "Because you are going to need speed if you are going to beat me!" She took off running down the beach, with Jemmy close on her heels.  
"Now, what was that other story you were talking about?" asked Yugi, but I could not tell it at the moment. Joey and Mokuba were bringing up the fish. Mai wouldn't touch them.  
"I will not humble myself by eating these things," she said. "I would much rather have my eye candy." She turned to Joey.  
"I have some eye candy, too," said Yugi, looking at me.  
I drew back slightly. "You don't even know me!"  
Yugi nodded. "We know each other better than we think. Look at our Millennium Items!"  
They were both glowing.  
"That means something. It means we are connected in some way."  
I fingered my Millennium Feathers uncomfortably, and my eyes refocused to look at nothing. Connected? Strange. I was not sure I liked the sound of that. Another story I had heard was one about a girl who had a strange connection with a guy named Fox, and terrible things happen. It was just a story, but still. "Are you sure?"  
Yugi nodded. I could see the same strange look in his eyes, and he changed suddenly. I remembered what he had said about having a spirit inside of his Millennium Puzzle. I hadn't told anyone, but I had a spirit in mine, too. Her name was Saguaro.  
I decided to tell Yugi, or whoever he was now, about Saguaro, but I didn't need to. My Millennium Feathers glowed brighter, and the tassels lifted from my head. I was switching to Saguaro Lichen.  
"Oh, Yami!" I heard myself say. "I thought I may never see you again."  
"And I you," replied Yami Yugi. "After all of these years. I knew we could trust in the Millennium Items, Saguaro. I knew it."  
And I leaned in, and kissed Yami Yugi. I heard the others gasp in surprise, and someone must have dropped their fish in the fire, because I heard its characteristic sizzle.  
"Snap out of it, Lichen!" cried Mokuba. "Stop kissing."  
We pulled away, and by we, I meant me and Saguaro and Yami and Yugi, all together. It felt strange, but good. I was kissing Yami and Yugi at the same time, but I focused on kissing Yugi. His lips were soft, and he felt as if he meant it, and it did feel like I had known him for five thousand years, and had been separated, and now had a part of me back that I hadn't known I had lost. It was a tiny part, that mostly belonged to Saguaro, but Saguaro was a part of me, and I knew the sensation belonged to me, too.  
Saguaro disappeared back into the Millennium Feathers, and Yami went back into the puzzle.  
Yugi was shaking. "Did that just happen?"  
I nodded uneasily. I did not want to admit that I had enjoyed it.  
What would she think if I told her I want more?  
Who had said that? Just now? It kind of came from my head, but I heard it, kind of like I had said it myself, but I knew I hadn't. "What?" I asked, just to make sure nobody had said it.  
"What what?" asked Tristan. "We are all in total complete shock of that kiss that no one could have said anything if they wanted to."  
"You are saying something," Tea pointed out.  
Tristan frowned.  
Serenity returned from her run, with Jemmy on her head. "Why the weird faces?"  
"Yami Yugi and Lichen kissed! But it wasn't Lichen, it was Saguaro Lichen!" said Mokuba.  
Serenity looked confused. "Who is Saguaro Lichen, and why did she kiss Yami Yugi?"  
"Saguaro is the spirit inside of my Millennium Feathers," I explained, "And I guess Yami and Saguaro knew each other. Though I do not know why we kissed."  
For the first time, I saw Tristan looking thoughtful. "Maybe...." he trailed off. "Maybe they ruled together or something, and their spirits were trapped inside the Millennium Items before they got to bid to each other, or something."  
"Whatever," said Joey doubtfully. He took a big bite out of his fish, then paused for a moment, his eyes wide. It must have been to hot, for he spit it out and danced around comically, fanning his mouth. Finally he raced toward the water and took a big gulp out of the lake.  
Mai narrowed her eyes. "That water is filthy!" she exclaimed. "Take another drink like that and I am not going to kiss you for a while!"  
Joey sat down, his face red. I didn't know whether it was the heat of the fish or the embarrassment. He leaned back on the log, and fell over. "Wah!"  
Serenity laughed. "Joey, maybe you should go back to the city," she said. "We ought to have a survival guide, or something."  
Tristan raised his hand. "I have a survival guide!"  
Mai raised her head. "Can we eat it?" she asked. "I'd rather eat anything other than these disgusting fish."  
"Lichen is basically a survival guide," Jemmy piped up.  
Joey turned to me. "Huh?"  
"Didn't you listen to her story?" Jemmy asked. "Me and her lived on the streets and in the wilderness most of our lives! Now we are rich!"  
"Jemmy!" I exclaimed. "We just have enough money to tie us over."  
I hated lying. We were rich. The only reason we were out here was to duel and to stay away from rare hunters.  
"But what about our cell phones and high tech computers at our house, and-"  
I clapped my hand over Jemmy's mouth. "SHHHH!" I said through clenched teeth.  
They were all staring at me. I directed their attention away from the subject by asking if they wanted to build a hut.  
"What would we do with a hut?" asked Jemmy. "Back on the mainland, we have a mansion, and tennis courts, and-"  
I just couldn't get him off the subject. "Jemmy! Why don't you go see if you can catch us some fish?"  
"Okay..." said Jemmy. "But you know we have bars and an expensive restaurant inside of the mansion.."  
Stomping towards the water, he threw his head back and shouted, "Don't forget the extra-large kitchen!"  
I wanted to hurt him. If everyone else wasn't watching me, I probably would have.  
"Why did you do that?" asked Tea.  
"Yeah, we don't need anymore fish," muttered Mokuba, with fish in his mouth.  
"She did that to get rid of Jemmy," said Yugi. It is like he was reading my mind or something. Was he?  
"Anyway," he continued. "What were you saying about the hut? We could use one, what if it rains?"  
"I dunno," I replied. "I guess I didn't mean it." I didn't. I was just trying to get everyone's attention away from Jemmy's bragging comments.  
"No, no!" Yugi  
exclaimed. "I think it's  
a great idea!"  
"Do you?" I asked. I didn't think my absentminded thoughts were good ideas.  
"Sure," said Yugi. "Everyone, we're making a hut."  
  
An hour later, we had a plan drew out in the sand. I was to gather the smaller sticks to fill in the gaps of the hut. I was paired up with Yugi. Mai, Serenity and Joey were to get the larger sticks to build the actual hut with. Jemmy and Tristan were to fetch the sap to hold the sticks together, and Tea and Mokuba, well, they really didn't have a job at all. Mai was afraid that Mokuba would just get in the way, so she told Tea to watch him to make sure he didn't get in any trouble. Personally, I think Mokuba would provide valuable help, and so would Tea.  
Mokuba got in the way anyways. He brought us a big pail of sap, and was tripped by Jemmy running by. He spilled the sap all over himself and Jemmy.  
"Oh, no..." cried Mai. "I knew he would get in the way. Where is Tea?"  
"I thought he could be a bit of help," replied Tea.  
"He is ten!" exclaimed Mai. "He is too young to help. So is Jemmy. He shouldn't be helping either. He is the one who tripped Mokuba in the first place."  
Mokuba's lip quivered. "I was only trying to help."  
"It is okay," I said. "You tried your best. Now I want you to come down to the beach with me, alright?"  
He nodded, and I took his hand, leaving Tea in my place.  
  
"There, all out." My hands hurt from scrubbing so much. The sap was finally gone from his clothes. "MAI!" I called out. "Ready!"  
Mai strolled down the beach. "Gimme, he is driving me nuts. The only thing worse than a kid running around is his underwear is a kid running around in his underwear trying to ruin my tan."  
"Here you go," I said, handing the dripping clothes to her. "But they still have to dry. And be glad that he is not running around naked ruining your tan."  
Then something struck me. "Mai! It is freezing outside! What are you doing, tanning?"  
Mai stuck up her nose. "I have to keep my tan even," she said airily. "Mokuba should be able to come down here and get his own clothes!"  
"Why won't he?" I asked.  
"Dunno," Mai replied. "I'll ask him."  
"That is okay," I replied. "Remember, let the clothes dry, and I will watch him if you want."  
"Please do," Mai begged. "I would love to get a tan now." She paused. "Without being disrupted!"  
In a moment, Mokuba came dashing down the beach. "Wanna play something?"  
"Maybe," I replied. "But do wait to get your clothes on," I added, seeing him walk towards them.  
"But maybe if I put them on they will dry faster," he said.  
"I don't think so," I commented. "I think they will dry faster if you leave them out in the sun. Trust me."  
Mokuba frowned. "But then they will be cold!"  
I shrugged. "Better than being wet and cold, I suppose. It will be dark soon, and then we will start a fire. You can get them on, then. For now, please wear a coat."  
"I don't have a coat!" he complained. "And I am cold!"  
This kid was a handful. Awful cute, but a mess. But he could help us in some way.  
I sighed. "Here, take mine," I said, removing my coat from my shoulders. "This should work, and keep you from catching cold."  
Too late. "Achoo!"  
Oh, dear. "You had best go to bed, Mokuba," I told him.  
"I'm not tired!"  
"Well, at least rest down here with me. Stay here, I'll only be gone for a moment, alright?" I promised, then took off up to where the hut- building was taking place.  
I stopped to regain my breath when I reached the site. I turned to Yugi.  
"Mokuba is sick," I told him. "I think I had better stay with him for awhile. Is that okay with you?"  
"Of course!" said Yugi. "As a matter of fact, I think I may come with you."  
"But what about the hut?" I asked.  
"Why, it is almost finished!" Yugi said, pointing. "Look!"  
It was almost finished, and it was a beautiful hut. Everyone was covered in dust and dirt, and despite the biting cold, were sweating, but they looked rather pleased with their work. All the hut needed now was a roof. It was even big enough for all of us!  
"I think we should sleep here tonight," said Joey breathlessly, wiping his brow of sweat.  
"Well I think we should all take a dip," Tea remarked. "Look at us!"  
"Lichen and I are down on the beach, too," Yugi told them. "Mokuba is sick."  
"Oh, dear!" cried Serenity. "Why?"  
"He was out in the cold too long without proper covering," I said. "He should be better by tomorrow. He just needs to get some sleep."  
I looked up at the sky, which was turning the pink color of sunset, with clouds off in the distance. "We need to, also."  
"I agree," said Yugi. "A quick bath, and then it is straight to bed."  
"What about our supper?" asked Jemmy.  
I laughed lightheartedly. "Leave it to Jemmy to remember the meal!"  
"I am not having fish again," said Tristan. "Those really weren't very good."  
"Hey...where is Joey?" asked Serenity suddenly.  
And like he heard her, "Come here, guys! I wanna show you something!"  
Crashing through the forest with worry, I reached the place the voice was coming from in seconds. Then I saw what Joey was pointing to, and it was the same think I had just run through. Blackberry bushes!  
"We shall have blackberries tonight, I guess," said Tristan. "Much better than those fish, if you ask me."  
"Oh, no!" cried Tea. "Look at our legs!"  
I looked down at mine. They were covered in tiny red scratches that were just now beginning to sting.  
"Owie wowie zowie!" cried Tristan, hopping around.  
Serenity giggled. "Does anyone have any antiseptic cream?" she asked. "Or pants, at least?"  
"I was wearing pants," Tristan grumbled. "These are just mean bushes, that is all."  
Luckily, I noticed Joey still had the bucket. "Joey has a bucket. Put as many berries as you can into it. I have antiseptic cream back on the beach, by our sleeping bags," I said.  
  
When we returned, Mokuba came running up to me, coughing. "Where were you?" he demanded. "You were supposed to come back!"  
"I am sorry," I apologized. "But I brought us some dinner!"  
Mokuba's face broke into a smile. "Blackberries!"  
"Yes," said Yugi, "And we went through a lot of trouble getting them for us."  
Then, "Mokuba, where is Mai?" asked Tristan.  
"I'm down here," came Mai's voice from the shore. I turned and noticed that Joey was sitting with her.  
"Mai, we have dinner!" Tea called. "Come up and eat. You too, Joey."  
Serenity came up to me. "May I have some antiseptic cream?" she asked politely.  
I nodded. "Certainly. Anyone who needs antiseptic cream, come on over as I am giving it out by the blob!"  
Mai followed Joey up to the top of the beach. "Why do you need that?" she asked.  
Joey lifted up his pants leg.  
"I cannot see it," she said. It was too dark.  
"We ran into some thorns," Joey told her. "It was nothing. But we brought back some berries."  
Mai grinned. "No fish tonight?"  
Joey chuckled. "No fish tonight."  
Then they kissed.  
I had a strange urge to do something big. I looked over at Yugi hopefully, and saw him looking back at me. He nodded, and his lips met mine.  
I heard startled gasps and whispers. "That is not Yami and Saguaro!" "Yugi, what are you doing?" and the classic "Lichen and Yugi sitting in a tree..." That was Jemmy.  
When we finally pulled away, I noticed that Mai and Joey were done, and everyone was staring at Yugi and I.  
"Well then," I said. "Dinnertime!"  
I was hoping that tonight may be romantic, but it was just very cold. The wind kept blowing out the fire, people were down in the lake washing, and many of us were applying medicine to the scratches. Not a very romantic evening, if I do say so myself.  
When it finally came time to get into our sleeping bags, which we had set into the hut, I looked up into the sky. No stars. It surprised me. The clouds must have moved in. But I always could tell when it was going to rain. And it wasn't. I shrugged it off. Just a cloudy night, I told myself. And the clouds didn't even look very ominous. But I felt as if something was going to happen tonight. And I could tell Yugi was thinking the same thing.  
  
I awoke during the night, and I wondered what woke me up, except I felt tiny specks of cold covering my face.  
I opened my eyes and saw nothing on the ground but a white sheet. It had snowed! And we were inside of the hut!  
I shook Yugi awake. "Help!" I whispered frantically. "It snowed!"  
Yugi groaned and opened his eyes. "Wuh?"  
"It snowed!" I exclaimed, waking Joey and Jemmy. "Look!"  
Yugi squinted. "It is coming down pretty hard," he said. "We have to do something about this."  
"What can we do?" I asked. "We are virtually trapped!"  
I looked at everyone else. They were sleeping soundly, aside from shivering. But Joey, who was awake, was shivering violently, and Mokuba was nowhere to be seen.  
I gasped. "Mokuba! Where did he go?"  
"I don't know," said Yugi, looking at Joey.  
"I do not know either," Joey added.  
"Me, either," broke in Jemmy.  
My eyes widened. "We have to find him!"  
"What about the others?" asked Joey.  
"At least they have sleeping bags," I said quickly. "All Mokuba has is my coat, and he is so little. We have to find him, and fast, before something bad happens!"  
"If something bad hasn't already happened!" exclaimed Yugi in fright.  
  
I pulled my warm clothes on as fast as I could. I didn't have my coat, so I borrowed Tea's. I didn't think she'd mind if she knew why.  
"Do you have a flashlight?" asked Yugi.  
I nodded and reached into my backpack, but to my surprise, my flashlight was gone! "I can't find my flashlight, guys!" I exclaimed. "Mokuba must have taken it, but I don't understand why he would run off like that!"  
"We have no time to wonder!" exclaimed Joey. "We must find Mokuba!"  
Grasping Yugi's hand, I stepped outside into the cold. I couldn't imagine that little kid being trapped out there, or wherever he was. I couldn't believe he would do that. He knew we'd go looking for him.  
"Mokuba!"I called, my voice echoing through the forest. "Mokuba, Mokuba, Mokuba," getting quieter by the minute.  
"Mokuba!" "Mokuba, where are you?" "Mokuba! Answer me! Are you okay?"  
No answer. All I could hear was the silence of the forest and the snowfall.  
"What if he is unconscious?" asked Jemmy. "Then he couldn't hear us, much less answer us."  
I gasped in fright. What if he was unconscious? I shook my head and wiped the terrible thought out of my mind that I am not going to describe.  
  
It was getting harder to walk now, and it felt like we had been walking around the island for hours. I knew the others would be awake by now, and Mokuba was probably buried under the snow somewhere.  
"Lichen!" it was Jemmy.  
Did he find anything? I thought excitedly. "What is it?"  
"It is Mokuba!" he exclaimed.  
Quickly, I raced over to where Jemmy was, and I saw a lock of black hair sticking out of the snow. "Guys, over here!" I called to Yugi and Joey.  
They ran over at once. "What, Lichen?"  
"I think we found Mokuba," I said slowly, pointing to the snowdrift.  
"Well, don't just sit there!" exclaimed Joey. "Dig him out!"  
I reached into the snowdrift and pulled out his limp body. I checked his pulse, feeling nauseous. Good. His heart was still beating.  
After a slow inspection, I lifted my head up. "He needs to get warm!"  
"Right!" Yugi nodded. "We'll start a fire. I'll have to clear out some of the snow, and dry the logs somehow, but we must get him warmer."  
"We should get started on a raft soon," I suggested. "I have to get to the mainland, and we need to get Mokuba to a hospital, pronto." My Millennium Feathers glowed relentlessly.  
  
"Yugi!" I called. "Got the fire going?"  
His head popped up from behind a snowdrift, and he flashed a thumbs-up sign. Good.  
I lifted up Mokuba, who had not yet gained his consciousness back, and carried him over to the fire through the deep snow. He had a strange heaviness to him. Almost like he was dead, though I knew he wasn't, for every few seconds I saw him stir, or groan weakly.  
Setting him down, I rubbed my own hands together in front of the fire. I genuinely did not realize how cold I was until I got in front of it.  
My eyelids drooped and I knew I was tired. Shapes appeared in front of me, Tea, and Tristan, and Mai, and Serenity. But I was too tired to acknowledge them, and my heavy head dropped into Yugi's lap, and I fell asleep, exhausted.  
  
"Lichen!" cried Jemmy. "Wake up!"  
I opened my eyes and blinked involuntarily. I looked up and saw Jemmy and Tea standing over me. I looked further up, and saw my head was still in Yugi's lap.  
"Lichen, we have started on the raft to get back to the mainland," said Tea. "Would you like to come and see? It is almost halfway done."  
I jolted up. How long had I been asleep? A long time, I supposed, because the sun was low in the sky and the clouds were turning pink. Most of the snow had melted during the day, and Yugi was restless and ready to get up and about.  
"I am sorry, Yugi," I apologized.  
"It is quite alright," said Yugi. He leaned in and kissed me.  
"Well then," said Jemmy impatiently. "Let me show you the raft!" I stood up and so did Yugi, his arm around my shoulder.  
"Follow me," Tea commanded, and led us into a clearing in the forest, near our hut, which was all wet from the melting snow and weakly bent.  
There, everyone (but Mai, I had no idea where she could be) were crowded around a large wooden platform bound with vines. Joey was chopping trees into slices, and Serenity was carrying them over to Tristan, who was tying them together with the vines.  
"We need more vines, guys!" called Tristan.  
"Gotta go," said Tea, picking Jemmy up. "That is our job. Feel free to help. By the way, Mai has Mokuba, and she is in the blackberry patch."  
I nodded thankfully. Then I turned to Yugi after Tea and Jemmy ran off to find more vines. "Come with me, okay?"  
Yugi nodded. "I have your first aid kit, you know!"  
I cocked my head, puzzled. "How did you get it?"  
"Jemmy gave it to me," he replied. "He said you'd need it."  
"Well he was right," I said.  
I walked briskly to the blackberry patch, wondering how Mai could get Mokuba in there without getting either of them scratched up.  
Mai was sitting on the ground, looking very bored indeed. Mokuba's head was in her lap, and I could see he was sleeping lightly. Mai's legs were heavily scratched, but Mokuba was fine.  
She looked up and smiled, clearly happy to see us. "It is very lonely out here," she said. "All by yourself." she paused. "Well, almost."  
"We'll take Mokuba now," Yugi told her. "You can go an help with the raft to get us back to the mainland."  
Mai nodded, gave Mokuba to me, who was beginning to stir, and began walking out of the blackberry patch.  
"Wait," I called, stopping her. "Has he woken yet?"  
Mai nodded and continued walking. "Just once," she called back. "He was asking where you were!"  
I sat back, puzzled. But no time for that. Mokuba's eyes fluttered open. "Hey." He tried to get up.  
I pushed him into my lap. "Rest. Do you know what happened?"  
He nodded. "I am nothing but trouble," he said weakly.  
Yugi gasped. "What made you think that?"  
"Mai said so," Mokuba whispered.  
"That is why you ran away?" I asked, confused.  
"Yeah," he replied.  
"That was not a smart thing to do!" I scolded. "You could be worse off than you are already, and you know we would go after you!"  
"Am I going to die?" he asked.  
I didn't know what to say. I had seen hypothermia before, but I was really not sure what would happen. I couldn't say yes, and I couldn't say no. So I didn't answer at all.  
Mokuba noticed. "Am I going to die?" he repeated.  
I sighed. No backing out. "I don't know, Mokuba," I said slowly. "But we are going to try everything we can to make you better." His eyes teared up. "And we are making a raft, so we can get you back to the mainland and to a hospital. Okay?"  
Then he let out a big sigh, and closed his eyes, exhausted from the small conversation.  
"Why didn't you reassure him that he wasn't going to die?" asked Yugi quietly, his eyes wide.  
"I am not going to lie," I whispered back. "It's his life, and if he just lost it, he has a right to know."  
Yugi nodded and looked up. "It's beginning to get dark," he remarked. "We had better be getting back. At least there are not any clouds in the sky tonight, so it is a very rare chance that it will snow again." His fingers touched my chin and he looked into my eyes, poised to kiss.  
I pulled away, not wanting to. This was not the right time. Maybe we could around the campfire.  
Yugi sat back, and nodded again, as if he heard my thoughts. During that time, all I could hear was the sound of nighttime birds chirping, and the wind whistling through the trees.  
"I'll carry him," I said, breaking the silence.  
"Okay," Yugi replied, playing with my hair.  
Slowly, I stood up, with the small kid in my arms, and started back to the camp. I winced when my legs came in contact with the sharp thorns of the blackberry bushes.  
"Careful, Lichen," Yugi warned. "Don't get Mokuba scratched up."  
"I won't," I grumbled. "Just trying to keep myself from getting scratched up, too!"  
Once through the blackberry bushes, the trek back to the camp was easier.  
I was greeted by Tea and Serenity. "Tomorrow, we'll finish the raft," Serenity said, "And then we will go over to the mainland."  
I nodded. We needed to get there as fast as we could. I decided then and there I would stay up a bit after dark to try and work on the raft.  
"I will get the campfire started," Jemmy volunteered, standing in front of Tristan.  
I nodded. "Okay, be careful," I told him, then I turned back to Yugi. "I am going to work on the raft a bit," I told him. "You go have dinner with the others. We have some leftover blackberries stored in the storage rock." The storage rock was a large rock with a hole in it that I put important items in.  
With that, I walked back into the woods to where the raft was being worked on. "Where is a high-tech boat when you need it?" I asked myself out loud. I had swam over here, being closely followed by some rare hunters. But I could not swim back, because I had a Mokuba I needed to take over to the mainland with me and I couldn't swim with a kid.  
Slowly, I picked up a piece of wood and tied it to another that was already on the raft. It took me ten minutes just to get the first one attached.  
  
I had been going at the raft for an hour, and had only been able to attach five new slabs of wood before I ran out, and I could no longer see where I was chopping. After wasting many tree trunks on uneven slices, I decided it was time to go back to camp. Everyone would probably be asleep by now.  
I set down the axe and started off toward camp again.  
I heard a rustling behind me, and what sounded like a metallic sound, but I was so tired I paid no heed to it. It was probably just a squirrel or something crashing into a rock. I yawned and stepped between two trees, when I heard an animal screech and come tearing past me. A stick dropped at me feet. I picked it up, and my Millennium Feathers started to glow. I held it in the light. It was the wooden handle to the axe.  
I was truly afraid. What had happened? What was the animal doing with Joey's axe? I started back to camp briskly, frightened that the animal might hurt someone. We couldn't have another dilemma. Or a hurt person, for that matter, who wants it to happen?  
Then the loud scream pierced the night, and commotion began around the campfire, and I knew something had happened. It was a boy's scream. It didn't sound like Mokuba, so that was good, but what had happened?  
  
"Lichen!" A male voice, Tristan's, echoed through the forest. "Help us, please!"  
My run broke into a sprint. I paid no attention to the thorns scratching me and the roots and rocks reaching out to trip me.  
"It's Yugi!" he continued, and I caught sight of him. I slowed to a jog.  
"What about him?" I asked, trying to stay calm, but knowing I could not.  
"Something happened, it was all so fast. There was an animal, a raccoon, or a fox, or something, and it had a blade of some sort."  
I held up the axe blade that I now realized I hadn't let go of. "Was it the blade of this?"  
Tristan gasped. "What happened?"  
"Some animal got it," I replied, breaking into a run again that Tristan could barely keep up with. "Anyway, continue. What was the scream?"  
"It got Yugi."  
I stopped short, not absorbing what he said. "Say that again?"  
"It got Yugi," he repeated.  
My eyes welled up. I didn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it. Something had happened to him?  
I grabbed Tristan's hand and pulled him behind me. I could feel the tearlets flying in the opposite direction.  
I burst out of the trees and ran over to the campsite. "Show me!" I demanded.  
Tea, who was kneeling beside Yugi's sleeping bag, beckoned for me to come over. Jemmy was standing on Yugi's back, inspecting.  
I sat down beside her. The axe blade had lodged itself into Yugi's arm deep, and the animal had long since run away. Yugi's eyes were squeezed tightly, and his teeth were clenched, as if the pain had him in some sort of vicegrip.  
I let Saguaro out. "Goodness," she/I said. "He took quite a beating. I think you had better come back out, Lichen. You are the one who should use the Feathers."  
"But..." I protested, not sure what to do. I didn't know the Millennium Feathers could heal!  
Then I heard a hoarse voice coming from Yugi's sleeping bag. "Take it out of me."  
"Huh?" I said, putting my head closer to him.  
"Please, take it out of me," he repeated, sounding like a small child.  
I nodded, though I knew he could not see me, and placed my hand on the axe blade. He flinched at the small touch.  
I don't know how I managed to remove the axe blade. I just kind of slipped it out. It made a horrible suction sound when it came out. Blood soaked Yugi's sleeping bag and sleeve.  
Not really sure what to do, I placed my Millennium Feathers, which were still glowing, onto his arm.  
Nothing happened.  
"Saguaro!" I cried to the spirit. "It is doing nothing. I have failed."  
"The Feathers can still help you,"she said.  
"But in what way?" I asked desperately.  
"You shall see," Saguaro replied. Then I could reach her no longer.  
I saw nothing else to do. "Can someone get into my first aid kit, preferably Jemmy, and hand me some scissors?"  
"Certainly."Jemmy reached into my backpack and drew out the large white box, removed the scissors, and placed the open box on the ground for further usage.  
"What are you going to do?" asked Joey, who looked worried, but was clearly interested in what i was doing.  
"I am going to cut away the sleeve," I replied. I slipped the scissors into the cloth of his shirt near the top and snipped all the way around until I had removed the entire sleeve on that side, exposing the gash the axe blade had left behind.  
"Can I have some gauze?" I  
asked Jemmy.  
"I don't know, can you?" he asked, and I could tell he was smiling.  
I frowned. "Gauze, please!"  
"Oh, fine," Jemmy grumbled good-naturedly, and handed me my roll of sterile gauze.  
"Gee, Lichen, you are a regular doctor," said Tea, looking amazed.  
I blushed, in spite of myself. "No, I am not, I have just had a lot of practice with first aid."  
"Well, you seem to know what you are doing," Mai remarked.  
"She does!" exclaimed Jemmy. "She has done this many times on herself."  
"More times on you," I replied, wrapping the gauze around the gash. I sat back and admired my work. "That should keep until morning," I said. I hoped so. I was out of gauze, except for a couple of extra tiny pieces that wouldn't even fit around an arm one time.  
"Go to sleep, Yugi," I told him. "We'll take care of this in the morning, I promise. Now let's focus on getting some rest, okay?" I noticed I was talking to him like I talked to Mokuba, but he didn't seem to care.  
I positioned my sleeping bag between Mokuba and Yugi, and closed my eyes uneasily. It was going to be a rough night for me. I will never get to sleep, I thought to myself. I will never, never, never.........  
  
I awoke to birds chirping joyously the next morning. I stretched luxuriously, then remembered what happened. As much as I loved birds, I almost wanted to yell at them to shut up, and not be so joyful this morning.  
I sat up and looked at Yugi. His bandage was saturated with blood.  
Sighing, I searched in my backpack one more time. Nothing was there, just as I had seen before. Slowly, I took off my scarf and tied it around once I had removed the bandage.  
No use in waking him, I thought. I turned over and checked on Mokuba. He was still sleeping soundly. I blew on the fire a bit to bring up the flames, and got up to begin breakfast. Today we were going to try and catch some more of the fish. Mai could have blackberries, but she would have to get them herself.  
Slowly, as to make sure not to step on anyone, I crept into the forest and stuck my hand into the ground. Immediately, I came up with a big, fat, juicy worm.  
I could never get over the pain of having killed an innocent animal. It was hard for me just to stick the worm on the hook. Jemmy used to take the pleasure, but half the time he would eat it, and I learned not to trust him.  
Not watching, I slid the worm onto the hook slowly. I could feel the blood drain from my face.  
Quickly, I cast the line out into the lake and sat on a rock, and waited for a bite.  
Suddenly, "Hey, Lichen!"  
I jumped and turned around. "Jemmy!" I cried. "Don't scare me like that, please!"  
"Sorry." Jemmy scrambled up onto the rock and sat beside me. "Ya know, I've missed you."  
I turned back to face him, confused. "What do you mean?"  
He leapt in front of me. "Talking and having fun with all of your new friends that are so much more cool than Jemmy." He threw his arms up. "You wouldn't pay less attention to a beetle!"  
I drew back in surprise. "Jemmy, you don't think that, do you?"  
He nodded. "You haven't talked to me for a few days."  
"Well, for one thing, I thought kind of the same thing about you," I said, truthfully. I hadn't really noticed how much I had missed Jemmy until he came out and told me this. "You had been spending so much time with Tristan that I thought..."  
"And you with Yugi and Mokuba," he said.  
"I..." I paused, as if I didn't want to say it, though it was inevitable. "I love Yugi. And Mokuba is very sick. I need to watch out for him. But I would love it if you would help me."  
Jemmy looked up. "Really?"  
I nodded. "Of course."  
"Quit all of the mushy talk," Jemmy responded, sounding like his old self again. "You have a bite."  
  
I brought the handful of fish on shore, with Jemmy walking beside me, carrying some more fish. By this time, everyone (except Yugi and Mokuba) were up and running. The morning mist was beginning to clear up, and the sun was starting to peek out from behind a cloud.  
"So much for a refreshing breakfast," Mai commented when she saw the fish. She shivered. "I hate eating things that stare back at you."  
"Why don't we get some blackberries then?" Joey asked, taking Mai's hand. "My treat."  
"What do you mean by that?" Tristan asked, confused. "You can't buy anything out here. In fact, a twenty is just something else to burn for a fire out here."  
Joey stared at him with a 'don't you know anything?' look. "I mean that I will get scratched up and get her the blackberries," he replied. "Duh."  
"Why do they fight all the time?" asked Serenity, staring after them. "I have actually seen them throwing punches at each other."  
Tea shrugged. "I guess it is just their way of showing each other that they care."  
I looked up from skinning the fish, amused. "Wow, I hope they don't care about me that much," I giggled.  
I was done skinning the fish in a few minutes, and before long, they were roasted to a crisp, and Mai and Joey had returned. Mai looked glad to have something other than fish to eat. Joey looked scratched up, as he had said.  
Why did they call it 'scratched up' instead of 'scratched down?' That always made me wonder. But I was getting kind of off subject.  
Yugi was awake now, and he sat up slowly, and winced.  
I brought him his fish. "Fresh off the griddle," I told him, smiling.  
He smiled back, despite the wound. With his free arm, he fingered my cheek, and I kissed him. It was long, and gentle, and I forgot about everything else in the world. That was, until Mokuba woke up, too, and declared that he was hungry and his head hurt.  
Jemmy brought him his fish, holding it high over his head as if he were a waiter at an expensive restaurant. "Here you are, Monsieur," he said with a French accent that sounded very fake. "Enjoy." He even slipped a small "Pardonnez moi," as he stepped through the sleeping bags.  
  
I laughed. "Nice French, loco animale," I said in Spanish.  
Jemmy cocked his head in confusion. "I don't speak Spanish."  
"You don't speak French, either," I replied, poking at the fire.  
Joey stood up. "I think we can finish the raft today," he said, "But we will have to make it bigger, to make room for Yugi. Actually, I think we should make it big enough to fit us all, instead of just Lichen, Yugi, and Mokuba."  
"And me!" Jemmy exclaimed.  
Joey smiled. "And Jemmy."  
"That is a great idea!" Mai exclaimed. "I can finally get off this island."  
Then something occurred to me. "You guys never told me how you got on the island in the first place!"  
Serenity's mouth dropped. "We never told you?"  
I shook my head.  
"Well," Tea began. "We were running from someone."  
"Who?" I asked.  
"Meric," she replied. "His bad side has taken over his body, and he is evil once more."  
"Do the rare hunters work for Meric, or whatever his name is?" I asked. "Because that is why I am here, to run from the rare hunters."  
Tea and Serenity nodded.  
"Why do they want you?" I asked, then felt stupid. I knew why they were wanted my Meric and the rare hunters. Yugi's Millennium Puzzle. The same reason they wanted me. For my Millennium Feathers. I was beginning to see why we must get Yugi better immediately. Since he was weak, they could, and would, easily take the Millennium Puzzle.  
"You know why they want us," Tea said, and she was right.  
Joey's voice echoed through the forest. "Come on, guys, we are almost done with the raft, and we need yo help."  
Serenity, Tea, and Jemmy got up, and I got up with them, but Tea pushed me back down. "You need to stay with Yugi and Mokuba," she said. "Don't worry, we will finish fast."  
  
And they did finish fast. The raft was finished in no less than three short hours. I had spent most of my time fishing, coming back to check on the weaker ones ever few minutes. I had successfully caught many fish (and one certain stupid one four times) and was becoming bored and restless, when Tristan burst out of the forest. Despite the bitter cold, he was sweating heavily, and his arms were scratched from the wood.  
"It is ready, Lichen!" he exclaimed.  
I looked back at Mokuba and Yugi. "About time, too," I remarked. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude," I apologized. "But I am worried about them, and they seem to be getting worse. If they don't get the medical treatment they need fast..." my voice trailed off.  
Tristan nodded. "I know. And we are working hard to bring the raft out. Why don't you take a break and go help? I'll stay with them," he said, meaning Yugi and Mokuba.  
I happily agreed, and skipped into the forest to help drag the raft onto the beach.  
  
"Push!" I cried. "Push. Just a little further."  
One more big shove brought the raft sliding down the beach and into the water, where it floated slowly.  
Everyone cheered. It had worked. Now we needed to load on the weaker ones. The hard part.  
"Mai and I will take Yugi," Joey volunteered.  
"I'll take Mokuba," said Tristan.  
Serenity stood in front of Tristan. "Uh, I think Lichen had better take him," she said gently. "Why don't you come with me?"  
Tristan blushed and followed her into the water to help shove the raft off the sand bar and into open water.  
"We can't just lay them down on the raft," Tea noted. "I don't know how we'll manage Yugi, but Mokuba can lay his head in Lichen's lap or something."  
"I have a blanket," I told her. "We can lay Yugi on that."  
Tea agreed, and I handed her the blanket out of my backpack. I hoped it wouldn't go overboard. My friend Heero had made it for me special. It was sky blue with a white pattern around it. Heero had given it to me when I decided to take up dueling.  
Slowly, I picked Mokuba up. He wasn't asleep, so he squirmed a bit. "We are going to the mainland," I told him.  
"I know that," he replied.  
I waded into the water, careful not to drop him. I climbed up onto the wooden raft and sat Mokuba down. He sat on the side of the raft and dangled his feet into the water.  
"You had best be careful," I warned. "There are fish in there that are poised to bite." Really, I wanted him to take his feet out because he could get sicker.  
Sure enough, he was  
shivering when he took  
his feet out.  
I sighed and took off my coat. The wind whipped through my sweatshirt, but I didn't care. I wasn't the one that was sick. I placed my coat over Mokuba, and laid his head in my lap.  
Then Joey and Mai hoisted Yugi up. The scarf I had put around his arm was drenched. I unraveled it and dipped it into the water to wash the blood off. Then I put it into a small plastic bag for proper washing. This time, I ripped off a piece of my pants leg and tied it around. "That should hold until we reach the mainland."  
Yugi grimaced as he was shifted around into the right position to make leave. The blanket was set up, and he was able to lay down. His face slowly softened. Being careful of Mokuba, I leaned in and kissed him. He opened his eyes and smiled weakly.  
"Ready to cast off?" Joey asked.  
I nodded and flashed a thumbs up, and Joey rigged up the sail. Then he pushed the raft with all his might, and leapt onto it as it flew off the island.  
The wind whipped my hair around my face and blew it into my eyes. I smoothed Mokuba's hair back. He looked up at me, smiling.  
The wind grew faster. I covered my head with my sweatshirt and held Mokuba closer. Joey clenched his teeth. "Hold on!"  
The raft flew faster and faster on the lake. I was beginning to be able to see buildings up ahead.  
Tea and Serenity threw themselves across Yugi to protect him from flying sticks and twigs. Tristan held onto Jemmy to make sure he didn't fly away. Joey and Mai clung to the sail, and my head was bent over.  
Then it stopped. We had crashed into a guardrail. We were all unhurt, but half of the raft was damaged, and Joey and Mai stood up, soaked and coughing, as they were tossed overboard. My blanket was wet but fine. Yugi looked okay, and Mokuba was sleeping. How could he sleep through that? Then I realized he was unconscious. The gustnado must have shaken him up so much, the poor kid, I thought.  
I got up and lifted Mokuba up off of the raft, and started up down the street. "Maybe if we find a phone," I suggested, "We can call 911."  
The others nodded. "But leave Mokuba here!"  
"Oh, right," I said, shivering. I handed Mokuba to Serenity, then walked back along the highway.  
  
I had been walking for almost twenty minutes, and still had not reached the city. I could see it up ahead, and it looked close, but it seemed that for every step I took the spiral skyscrapers seemed to get farther and farther away.  
But I also say something up ahead. A pay phone stand! Despite my sheer exhaustion, I broke into a run. My heart was pounding in my head. Get to the pay phone. Get to the pay phone.  
I just hoped 911 didn't charge.  
I dialed the number on the pay phone and heard the ring. After the first ring, someone, a man, on the other end picked up. "You have reached 911 emergency services. How may we help you?"  
"Yes, please," I responded. "My friend Yugi Moto has been severely cut by and axe blade, and my other friend Mokuba Kaiba is suffering from hypothermia. We are located-" I quickly looked at the street signs, "About four miles north of Wade Street."  
"An ambulance is en route to receive you and your friends. Thank you for using the 911 emergency services." The man hung up.  
I raced back as fast as I could to my friends. "The ambulance is coming."  
"That is good," remarked Tristan, wide-eyed. "They aren't looking too good!"  
  
"Why did you wait for so long to call us?" asked a short blonde girl paramedic that had loaded Yugi into the back of the ambulance. Her name tag read, "Aletris."  
"We didn't mean to," replied Joey. "See, we were stranded on this island, and it took some time to build a raft, and-"  
"And we got back to the mainland as soon as we could," I finished. I didn't know why, I wasn't scared of what he would say, but I felt frantic.  
"How long has the hypothermia in the kid been in effect?" Aletris asked.  
"Hmm....." I thought for a moment. "Two days, almost."  
Aletris looked worried. "We are going to have to take him into intensive care right away. What about the teenager? When did he get hurt?"  
"Last night," I replied. "An animal of some sort got ahold of the axe we used to start the raft, to go ahead and get Mokuba back here, and it tore through our camp. Somehow the axe blade, uh, had a little run-in with Yugi."  
"It would have been a lot easier if you had been able to bring them in earlier," said Aletris, starting an IV on Yugi. "But I understand your predicament."  
"How much will this cost?" I asked, thinking about the chunk it could take out of my savings, though they were large.  
"Hmm..." Aletris looked deep in thought. "I really am not sure," she said bashfully. "I don't run the cash register." She started another IV on Mokuba. "We'll check when we get to the hospital, okay?"  
"Are they going to be okay?" asked Mai, and for the first time, I saw her looking worried.  
Aletris nodded. "I think so. They have taken quite a beating."  
"That's what  
Saguaro said!" I blurted  
out without thinking.  
"Saguaro?" asked Aletris, looking confused. "Who is this Saguaro? Is there someone else on the island that should be getting off?"  
I quickly shook my head. "No. Never mind."  
Aletris turned away. I could tell she was unsure. She took their blood pressure, and typed it into some kind of computer. She must have noticed me looking, for she turned on me unexpectedly. "Would you like to try?"  
I nodded. It would be cool to work in a real ambulance. I ran a small pediatrician's office at home, but this was amazing. "I actually am a doctor myself."  
For the first time, Aletris looked genuinely interested. "Really?"  
"Yeah, I am in charge of a small doctor facility back at my home."  
"Cool."  
And then we pulled up at the hospital doors.  
  
Two hours later, I was sitting in Mokuba's room when a very fat nurse came in to see us. She checked her clipboard. "A Mr. Seto Kaiba to see you," she said.  
"Oh, my brother is here!" exclaimed Mokuba excitedly.  
I was almost nervous. What would happen when I met back up with Seto Kaiba?  
Too late for thinking. A tall young man with a haunting stare stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "How are you, Mokuba?"  
Not waiting for an answer, he looked up. "I heard Yugi was here, too. What happened-" His sentence cut off when he saw me.  
"You're..." Kaiba stumbled for words. "I beat you in Battle City."  
I nodded. "Lichen Hipatomi." I shook his hand, and his gaze softened.  
  
"You were a very difficult opponent," Kaiba said. He sounded like he meant it.  
"Thank you," I replied, emotionlessly.  
"Enough with the reunion," Jemmy interrupted loudly. He jumped up onto Mokuba's bed and tugged at the IV bag, pulling the catheter out.  
"Oh, Jemmy!" I cried, laughing. "Look what you have done!"  
Even Mokuba laughed.  
Kaiba smiled. "Now I remember you. You took that little dinosaur wherever you went. I remember him, especially. He kept interrupting me whenever I talked to you." His eyes contented as he thought of the memory. "It made me mad."  
The fat nurse opened the door. "Quiet down, please!" she cried. "I can hear you all the way down the hall."  
"Sorry," I said, and she closed the door back again.  
I slipped the IV catheter back into Mokuba's arm. "Well, I had best go check on Yugi," I said solemnly, standing up. As I walked out of the room, I heard Mokuba say, "Isn't she the greatest?"  
I walked in on some kind of mini-surgery going on in Yugi's room. The nurses there had torn off the bit of cloth I had pathetically wrapped around the gash and were scrubbing it like you would scrub a pan caked with a dried substance. Hard.  
Joey was sitting next to Yugi's bed, watching, and flinching even more than Yugi did.  
His face turned green.  
I quickly ushered Joey out of the room. "Go see Mokuba," I said quickly. "Don't even think about throwing up in here."  
"Hey, Lichen," said Yugi weakly.  
"Hey," I said back, not really sure of anything else to say. I sat down on the chair that Joey had sat on. "How is it?"  
"Okay," he replied softly. "But they took my Millennium Puzzle away, so they could work." He pointed to his Puzzle, up on a gray metal cabinet.  
I looked up. It was gleaming brightly as ever, and I had an urge to take it down. Millennium Items deserved better respect than just to be placed on a cheap hospital cabinet.  
I tapped male of the two nurses on the back. "May I have the necklace, please?" I asked politely, indicating the Puzzle at the top of the cabinet.  
"What's it worth to you?" he growled.  
Yugi raised his free arm. "She can have it."  
The male nurse reached up and took the Puzzle off of the cabinet and handed it to me. Then he opened the cabinet and brought out a can of salt water. He poured it over the gash, soaking the sheets of Yugi's bed, and he replaced them quickly. Then he left the room. The female nurse stayed though, adjusting the IV bag, the position of Yugi's pillows, and rearranged the materials in the cabinet. I had a feeling she wanted to listen in on our conversation.  
She finally left after five minutes of obviously pointless work, scoffing at our silence. Now she was gone. Now we could talk.  
But there wasn't really much at all to talk about this.  
"I'm sorry."  
I looked at Yugi strangely. "What?"  
"I'm sorry for the trouble, and how much time and money this must cost you."  
I took his hand and kissed him softly. "It's okay," I reassured him. "Really."  
"How are you going to pay for all this?" he asked. "You said you only had enough money to tie you over."  
I sighed. I had to tell him. "The truth is, Yugi, I am successful financially."  
"You mean you're rich."  
I nodded. "Jemmy was right. I just didn't want to sound like a filthy stinking rich brat like..." I trailed off. I had kind of grown to like Mai. I guess she wasn't all that bad. Just kind of spoiled.  
"I love you," he said quietly.  
"I love you, too," I replied. I stood up and let go of his hand. "Well, I had best be getting downstairs and paying." I stepped out of the room and into the hall, closing the door behind me as quietly as I could, but hospital doors just don't close quietly, you know?  
  
"What do you mean, I don't have any money in my bank account?" I thundered. My credit card had not worked correctly.  
"Name please," the man at the front desk confided.  
"Lichen-Flame Hipatomi."  
"May I see your ID, please?"  
I gladly handed over my ID.  
"All of your information seems to be in place," he said. "Let me call the bank and see what has happened."  
He ushered me out of the room and into a small gift shop. With my tiny bit of remaining cash, I bought a funny 'get well' card for Yugi and a slingshot for Mokuba. I also managed to scrounge up enough change to get a gumball for myself, Yugi, and Mokuba. I chose the purple one and popped it into my mouth, letting the flavor spread. It had been so long since I had good old sugar. Days of fish had dulled my taste buds.  
When I came out of the gift shop, the man at the front desk beckoned me over. "A Mr. Meric Malik Ishtar withdrew all of your money from your bank account this morning. Said he was a friend of yours. Gave the right credit number and everything. Did you give Mr. Ishtar permission to withdraw?"  
I shook my head. I didn't even know the guy. Wait a minute. Yes, I did. Tea was talking about him. The rare hunters worked for Meric!  
"How can I get ahold of Mr. Ishtar?" I asked.  
"He is in town right now," the man told me. "Said that right now he is residing in the Sunny-Side apartments on the other side of town. Can you drive?"  
"Yes," I told him. "But I don't have my license."  
"It's okay," he told me. "I'll send someone with you. Her name is Scout, and I think you'll like her."  
  
"A dog?" I asked, astonished. "A dog is going to be my chaperone?"  
"Yes, but she's a good dog," he said to Scout in a baby voice. "Yes, you are! She's a police dog with a Driver's Helper license."  
I sighed and ushered Scout into the small car the man, who I had learned his name was Jacobs, had lent me.  
I put the car into drive, and pulled out of the parking lot. "Thank you, Mr. Jacobs!"  
"Anytime, Miss Lichen!" he called after me. "Anytime!"  
I rolled down the window and let Scout hang her head out.  
Yugi's voice rang in my head. Seeing a cell phone on the dashboard, I pulled over and dialed the number of the hospital. The phone rang once, twice, three times, before Mr. Jacobs picked up. "Hello, Tinicalken City Hospital, how may we help you?"  
"This is Lichen," I said. "Can I speak to the boy in Room 253?"  
"Certainly," said Mr. Jacobs happily. "If he is not sleeping."  
After a moment. His voice came back onto the cell phone. "I am sorry, he is not able to speak on the phone at the moment."  
"It's okay," I said, even though it wasn't. I hung up the phone with a quick 'good-bye' and set it back on the dashboard, then quickly changed my mind and slipped the phone into my pocket.  
Scout barked, and I drove back onto the road. A few minutes later, I pulled up outside of Sunny-Side apartments and walked in. Approaching the front desk, I rehearsed what I was going to say. I didn't know how I would confront someone. I'd never done it before.  
Hi. I need to talk to Mr. Meric Ishtar because he stole thirteen million dollars from me.  
Hello, I need to speak with Mr. Meric Ishtar. Is he here?  
Direct me to Mr. Meric Ishtar's room.  
None of those really sounded right, I thought, as I reached the front desk.  
"May I help you?" asked the woman standing there.  
"Uh, yeah, I need to talk to Mr. Meric Ishtar. Can you please tell me which room I can find him in?"  
"Name, please?"  
"Saguaro Hipatomi."  
She loomed down on me. "Is this a business visit, or is it a pleasurable visit?"  
I didn't know what to say. "Business."  
She pressed a button on some kind of intercom. "A Miss Saguaro Hipatomi to see you, Mr. Ishtar."  
Meric's voice crackled over the intercom. "Send her up."  
The woman stared at me strangely. "You shall find Mr. Ishtar in Room 38. Be wary, he does not appreciate visitors."  
"So I know," I lied, as if I knew Meric closely. I thanked her and exited the building, walked up the stairs to the third floor. Slowly, I knocked on the wooden door that had been painted black. It stood out among the others, which were light blue, with the paint beginning to chip.  
A young woman with cold eyes answered the door. "Saguaro," she said flatly. She tossed her head back. "Meric. She's here."  
A young man, younger than the girl, stepped in front of the door. He had whitish-yellow hair in a style similar to Bakura's. His eyes were as cold as the girl's. "Thank you, Ishizu," Meric said. Ishizu walked out the door and down the stairs, and Meric warmly welcomed me inside.  
"So, Lichen, we finally meet," Meric declared. "I am glad to finally lay eyes on you. You are a sight for sore eyes."  
My eyes, staring coldly, met his. "Why did you take my money?"  
Meric laughed softly. "Who doesn't want it?"  
"Why did you take it from me?" I asked again. "I need it at this crucial time. Yugi Moto is injured in the hospital, and Mokuba Kaiba is there as well. I need to pay for their treatments."  
Meric grinned. "Good."  
I recoiled. "Why?"  
He chuckled. "If Yugi passes on, the Millennium Puzzle will be mine. But, I am willing to trade you your money back for your precious Millennium Feathers."  
I touched my Millennium Feathers and stared angrily. "I shall not fall into your trap, Meric Ishtar."  
Meric smiled. "So you want to do this the hard way."  
"And how is that?"  
"I shall duel you. If I win, I get to keep the money, AND I get the Feathers. But if you win, you keep the Feathers and get your money back. Deal?"  
"Deal."  
Meric smiled. "We shall duel in the Shadow Realm."  
"Wait!" I yelled. I knew the phone would come in handy. "Hang on. I, uh, have to pee."  
Leaving Meric staring, I ran into the bathroom and slammed the door behind me. I whipped the phone out of my pocket and my deck out of the other. I wasn't exactly sure how it got there, but I could just feel it was.  
I dialed the number of the hospital once more. Please don't let him be asleep. Please don't let him be asleep. I thought.  
"Hello?" Mr. Jacobs' joyful voice answered the phone.  
"Hey, it is Lichen again," I said into the mouthpiece. "Can you try Room 253 again please?"  
"Yes," said Mr. Jacobs. "But I can't make any promises. How are you faring?"  
"Fine," I replied. "I am in Mr. Ishtar's apartment at the moment."  
"Please hold."  
And then, "Lichen?"  
I almost did a cartwheel, right then and there. I got ahold of Yugi!  
"Yeah, I am dueling Meric for my money, my Millennium Feathers, and my life," I said. "What is up with you?"  
Yugi gasped. "Seriously?"  
"Yes," I said. "And I was just calling to say I love you, and good luck. This may be the last time you ever hear it."  
I could hear Yugi's voice crack. "Trust in the heart of the cards," he told me softly. "And find the flame inside. You can beat Meric. Just find the flame inside." Then the line went dead.  
I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but I turned the phone off and slipped it back into my pocket. I would face Meric. I had to, for my sake and my friends' sake, too.  
"Like I said before," Meric said, "We will duel in the shadow realm." He snapped his fingers, and the room around me disappeared in thick, black fog with nothing around us but darkness. Then something in the darkness began to materialize. A dueling field.  
"Take your place," Meric commanded. I looked up to see that he was already on his dueling platform. How did he get up there so quick? But no time for pondering now. I entered my platform and it raised me high into the air.  
I felt something close in around my legs. To my horror, I looked down and saw my ankles were chained to the railings. I could not get away.  
"To begin the duel," said Meric, "I place one card face down, in defense mode."  
I stared at it, trying to see through it. Quietly, I called upon the power of the Millennium Feathers. I saw his card was a Hane-Hane. Easy to beat.  
"I play the Feral Imp," I said, laying it down, in attack mode. Feral Imp, kill the face-down card."  
Hane-Hane appeared, then was shattered from my Feral Imp's attack. But since Hane-Hane was in defense mode, Meric lost no life points. I frowned and pondered my next move.  
"I am playing this trap card, face down," Meric declared, drawing a card and putting it face-down on his Novice Duel Disk System platform.  
I saw through it. It was Mirror Wall.  
"And, I also play Injection Fairy Lily, and use her effect, and now I play three more Hane-Hanes."  
I could see through his plan. He thought I was stupid. What he wanted me to do was kill his Hane-Hanes easily, boosting his Injection Fairy Lily's attack points by 1,500. But I wasn't going to fall for it.  
I drew a card, and was amazed at what I found. An Exodia piece! I didn't have Exodia. Yugi had Exodia, not me. How did I get ahold of it? But I remembered what he said. "Trust the heart of the cards," I said to myself. Maybe if I stalled Meric long enough, I could find the other pieces and win the duel, no problem.  
"I am using Feral Imp to kill your Injection Fairy Lily," I yelled. "And now that the Injection Fairy Lily is dead, I am free to attack your Hane-Hanes."  
Meric looked taken aback. I thought she was a stupid, rich brat! I heard him thinking.  
My blood boiled. Stupid? I bet I am smarter than he is. He couldn't survive on the island.  
"Do a move like that again, and I will have to punish you," Meric said angrily.  
I didn't care. I was out to show him that I wasn't stupid.  
"Now it is my turn," Meric told me, solemnly. He drew a card. Smiling, he placed it face-up. "I play....Winged Dragon of Ra, and I shall sacrifice most of my hand to play this card."  
"Now his attack and defense are both 9,800. I play it in attack mode."  
Eeeek. How was I supposed to win now? I don't think I had a card in my deck that could beat a legendary Egyptian God Card.  
Nervously, I placed my hand on my deck. I could draw three cards. Trust in the heart of the cards. I had to.  
I drew the first, and it didn't seem like it could help me much now. It was the Right Leg of the Forbidden One, an Exodia piece. I would have to stall Meric longer for me to find the other Exodia piece.  
The next card I drew was Change of Heart. Maybe it could help me. I heard that magic and trap cards did not work on Egyptian God Cards, but it was worth a try.  
Slowly I drew my final card. Remove Trap. Didn't do me much good, but I could still kill the Mirror Wall. I really didn't know why he had played it. He didn't really need it, considering he had an Egyptian God Card on the field.  
I laid it down. For my turn, I play Remove Trap, destroying your face down card. If it is a trap card," I added quickly. I didn't want him to know of my power to read the cards.  
He gritted his teeth and discarded his Mirror Wall.  
"And also for my turn," I said, making Meric smile. He didn't think I could do anything to win. "I play Change of Heart, and get to control your Winged Dragon of Ra for one turn. Since it is still my turn, I am sacrificing your Wing Dragon of Ra. That should take a chunk out of your life points."  
Meric recoiled. "How did you do that?" he screamed angrily.  
I smiled. "Change of Heart must have been one of those cards that happens to work on your Winged Dragon."  
He smiled back. I could tell he had pasted it on. "Remember, I still have a few cards left to play," he said, chuckling. "You didn't think that I would sacrifice my whole hand for Winged Dragon of Ra, would you?"  
I stared at him coldly. He grinned a horrible, evil grin back at me.  
"Now I play this card, face down, in defense mode," Meric growled. "But I don't think it will do me or you any good. I told you, if you did any more moves like that, I would chastise you. Now, feel the wrath of the Millennium Rod!" he thundered.  
I drew back in surprise. Meric had a Millennium Item, too?  
He pointed the long gold Rod at me. Cackling, he said a few words I could not understand, and something exploded in front of my eyes, and I heard Meric's voice in my head. "Obey me."  
I totally wasn't listening, but I realized I couldn't move, couldn't think, could only listen to Meric's voice in my head. There was nothing in front of my eyes. Nothing else to hear besides the silence, but I could hear Meric's voice in my thoughts. "Do something!" he yelled.  
Suddenly, I could move again. I could think again, and I could see again. Meric was pointing his Millennium Rod at me, and cursing. "Why didn't you obey me?" he screamed. "Why not, you stupid little rich girl. D**n you!"  
I felt like slapping him. He cussed at me!!! Sooo not nice.  
"All you did was freeze! I turned you off. You taunted me. Why didn't you obey me!?"  
I admit that I had no idea what he was talking about, but was that how it felt to be turned off? He turned me off? The disturbing thought raced through my mind and was absorbed my the Millennium Feathers.  
"Why don't we just forget about that little incident and continue our duel, shall we?" I asked hotly.  
He stared at me, but picked up his hand again and let his Millennium Rod drop to his side.  
I drew four cards, and sacrificed two of them in my hand-Castle Walls and a Hane-Hane of my own.  
The rest of the Exodia pieces! I could win the duel, and I would.  
I cleared my side of the field, and laid Exodia down. "Exodia, Obliterate!"  
Meric screamed. "I can't lose. I can't!" Then I fell into the darkness.  
  
I awoke in Meric's apartment. I was in a bed of some kind, and Meric was in another next to me. I flinched and tried to escape.  
Ishizu smiled softly. "Don't worry," she told me. "His evil side was lost in the shadow realm. That was one of the shortest duels I have ever seen, but one of the best. Thank you for restoring my brother."  
I grinned. "Can I have my money back?"  
"Of course!" replied Ishizu. She gave me a check worth twenty-three million dollars.  
"Thank you, very much!" I said happily. Then I looked down when I got out of the bed, and realized I was wearing Yugi's Millennium Puzzle. Is that what had caused me to come across Exodia in my deck?  
"Is there any way I can repay you for healing Meric?" Ishizu asked.  
"No, that's okay," I told her. "I just need to be getting back to the hospital as fast as I can. But first, I think I'll stop by the bank and drop this off." I held up the check.  
"Oh!" cried Ishizu. "I just remembered. Your dog is waiting in the front hall."  
Scout? "Oh thanks!" I had totally forgotten about her.  
I walked out, took Scout by the collar, and thanked Ishizu again. Then I went back down the stairs to the car.  
  
"I'm back!" I burst through the sliding door of the hospital and almost ran into Mr. Jacobs' desk. "And I have the money!"  
"Why, thank you, Miss Lichen," Mr. Jacobs said. "Now we can begin the treatment. May I see the money?"  
"Of course," I replied, handing him some bills.  
"Thank you. Your friends will be ready to see you in a few hours."  
  
"This is it!" I pulled up outside of my mansion a week later.  
Yugi's eyes grew large. "It is so big!"  
I laughed. "That isn't the half of it," I remarked. "Wait until you see the inside!"  
"Does it have tennis courts?" Tristan asked.  
"Yep!" I said. "And bowling, too. And a gourmet restaurant, and a bar, and a high-tech computer room, and a pool, and a lot more. But the pool is closed. It's wintertime, remember?"  
"I also have a motorcycle," I told them. "But I would love to ride it without putting it on autopilot. I want to learn how to drive it correctly!"  
"I teach motorcycle lessons!" declared Yugi's grandpa, Mr. Solomon Moto. "But not autopilot. I can teach you how to!"  
"Why that would be great!" I exclaimed. I got out of the car and walked up the large steps to the mansion. "Now I want to show you your rooms I fixed up."  
I looked back at the car. Two people did not follow me. "Mokuba! Seto! Come on in!"  
Mokuba took Seto's hand and ran up the steps after us. He threw his arms around me. "Thanks a bunch!" he cried. I stroked his head, then took Yugi's hand. I think this would be a lot of fun, living with my new friends. And I never would have done it...if I had not found the flame inside. 


End file.
